This invention relates to photographic equipment and more particularly, it concerns a folding flash holder assembly for cameras.
Commonly assigned copending applications Ser. No. 054,598, filed July 3, 1979, by Bruce K. Johnson, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,146, and Ser. No. 054,652, filed July 3, 1979, by Carl W. Davis and Joseph E. Murray, Jr., now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,645, disclose camera and foldable flash unit arrangements in which the flash unit is movable as part of the camera between an operative erect position and a folded storage position. In the erect position, working exterior components of both the camera (e.g., the objective lens, view finder, range finder and photometer) and the flash unit (e.g., the source of illumination) are conditioned in the conventional forwardly facing orientation for exposure of film carried in the camera. In the folded position, the flash unit fits into a complementing formation of the camera housing in a manner such that the same working components are completely enclosed by exterior casing portions of the camera and of the flash unit. As a result, not only is the use of flash illumination facilitated by simple movement of the flash unit to the erect position, but also the need for auxiliary casings and the like to protect sensitive camera components during storage and handling is completely avoided.
The arrangements disclosed in the aforementioned copending applications are particularly suited for electronic flash units in which the source of illumination is permanently contained in the flash unit housing and presented at a window in a unit housing face which moves against the camera housing when the unit is moved to the folded position. As compared with cameras equipped with disposable flash bulbs or plural flash bulb arrays, cameras equipped with a folding or otherwise "built-in" electronic flash unit entail manufacturing costs which are reflected in a higher overall camera price. In order to make available a variably priced family of cameras related in terms of structural geometry and capable of using the same film, therefore, there is a need for low-cost cameras in which a source of flash illumination is accommodated simply by a receptacle in the camera and into which a disposable flash bulb or flash bulb unit may be inserted. Although such receptacles or flash holders traditionally have been incorporated in the camera housing, the folding flash unit geometry of the aformentioned copending applications has many advantages such as providing a protective enclosure for delicate camera components as mentioned. In addition, the adaptation of the folding flash unit housing as a flash bulb holder facilitates the standardization of low-cost electronic components and as well serves to displace the source of disposable flash bulb illumination away from the objective lens axis of the camera. In keeping with the principal objective of low manufacturing costs, however, it is important that the foldable flash holder, representing an additional adjunct as compared with the conventional camera housing receptacle, be capable of low-cost unit assembly and unit/camera assembly.
Associated with the use of disposable flash bulb units, the receptacle in the flash holder which receives the flash bulb units should ease unit insertion and removal, while providing positive retention of the flash bulb units and reliable electrical engagement between the flash bulb units and a power source when the flash bulb units are in position in the receptacle. In addition, the foldable flash holder may require a mechanism for actuating the follow-focus capability of some cameras to accommodate a mode of operation compatible with an artificial light source.